KEY TERMS Key Terms and People to Know for the Regents Exam
Ford’s Assembly Line
Henry Ford’s use of the assembly line increased production of automobiles (cars) and lowered their cost, making cars available to more people. Assembly line production helped fuel the boom in consumerism and business in the 1920s.
1920s Consumerism
Assembly line production, widespread advertising, and increased purchases on credit fueled an increase in consumerism (buying stuff) in the 1920s. The sale of new products (radios, washing machines) helped the economy boom (quickly grow).
Republican Presidents
In 1920, President Harding called for a “return to normalcy” (isolationism and laissez-faire economics). President Coolidge and President Hoover also supported businesses by cutting taxes and limiting government regulation.